Tigers rally, maintain unbeaten league record

Fort Scott's Brittany Bingesser (25) guards an LCHS defender during Tuesday's game. (Captured Images/Kenny Felt)

It was a tale of two players in two halves Tuesday night as Fort Scott High's girls remained unbeaten in Southeast Kansas League play with a 55-52 win over Labette County.

While Jolee Sharp was in foul trouble in the first half, Kori Page Rienbolt helped keep the Tigers (9-0 SEK, 10-3 overall) in the game. When Rienbolt was in foul trouble in the second half, Sharp came through to score 17 points and help her team complete the rally.

LCHS (5-4, 8-5), got a pair of three-point goals from Leigh Ann Omarkhail off the bench near the end of the first quarter to take a 12-6 lead.

The Grizzlies eventually extended the lead to 10, 19-9, before Monica Dikeman sparked the Tigers with a triple with 3:42 to go in the second. Courtney Carpenter came off the bench for five quick points, including a three-point goal and Megan McDermed's stickback as the horn sounded brought Fort Scott within 23-19 at the half.

Six straight Tiger points, four by Rienbolt, brought Fort Scott within 31-30 with 3:07 to go in the third.

Fort Scott went ahead for good, 46-44, with 4:19 left in the game on a pair of McDermed free throws, starting an 8-0 run with six points coming from the charity stripe.

Sharp led Fort Scott in scoring despite being held scoreless in the first half on just two field-goal attempts. She finished four of six from the field and nine of 12 at the line and also picked up five steals.

Rienbolt added 13 points, including the Tigers' first nine of the contest. Jade Lambkins led LCHS with 17 points

McDermed had eight rebounds for the Tigers, although LCHS won the battle of the boards, 40-27. Brittany Bingesser dished four assists while Dikeman handed out three and also had four of Fort Scott's 12 steals.

The Tigers will host Coffeyville in a battle for first place in the SEK at 6 p.m. Thursday.

JUNIOR VARSITY -- Labette County took the JV contest, 67-50. Erin Coffman and Mallory Shelton each scored 11 points for the Tigers.

FRESHMEN -- LCHS won this game, 53-20. Ashlyn Baugher led the Tigers with five points. Heather Karleskint hauled down eight rebounds.

LABETTE COUNTY: Workman 2-3 0-0 5, Woolfolk 0-0 2-2 2, Omarkhail 2-5 0-1 6, Lehman 1-6 0-0 2, Rohling 0-1 0-0 0, Snider 0-1 0-0 0, Lambkins 6-18 5-8 17, Brader 1-2 0-0 2, Britton 3-7 1-5 7, Hope 1-2 0-0 2, Green 1-4 6-6 9. TOTALS: 17-47 14-22 52.

FORT SCOTT: Sharp 4-6 8-12 17, Therwhanger 0-0 0-2 0, Carpenter 2-5 0-1 5, Rienbolt 5-11 2-5 13, Bingesser 0-0 5-6 5, Collins 1-3 0-0 2, Dikeman 1-5 0-2 3, McDermed 2-5 5-7 9, Coffman 0-0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 15-35 21-37 55.

Fort Scott.......... 6 13 15 21 -- 55

Three-point field goals: Labette County 4-11 (Omarkhail 2-2, Workman 1-1, Green 1-3, Rohling 0-1, Snider 0-1, Lambkins 0-1, Brader 0-1, Hope 0-1), Fort Scott 4-9 (Carpenter 1-1, Sharp 1-2, Rienbolt 1-2, Dikeman 1-4).

Total fouls: Labette County 27, Fort Scott 21. Fouled out: Rienbolt. Technical fouls: none.

Rebounds: Labette County 40 (Britton 12, Lambkins 11), Fort Scott 27 (McDermed 8). Assists: Labette County 7 (Lehman 2), Fort Scott 8 (Bingesser 4). Turnovers: Labette County 22, Fort Scott 19. Steals: Labette County 12 (Britton 6), Fort Scott 12 (Sharp 5). Blocked shots: Labette County 4 (four with 1 each), Fort Scott none.